Dozens of tourists were left suspended over the Thames for almost 40 minutes in sweltering conditions today when the Olympic cable car broke down.

The £44m Emirates Cable Car, which transports visitors across the River Thames in east London, suffered a fault this lunchtime, leaving families and children suspended 300ft in the air for over half an hour.

Transport for London said the delay was caused by a technical fault with the alarm system.

The system links the 02 Arena in
Greenwich - where the Olympic basketball and gymnastics are taking place
- with the ExCel exhibition centre in London Docklands, which is
hosting boxing and a number of other events.

Breakdown: Cassam Looch took this image at lunchtime today of the Emirates Cable Car after it broke down mid-flight

30 cable cars came to a halt just before noon, suspended 60 people in mid-flight.

The cable car broke down at 11.45am and was fixed by 12.18pm, leaving visitors stuck above the Thames for around 40 minutes after starting the five-minute crossing.

Those travelling on the cable car also had to endure the delay in sweltering heat, as temperatures in London hit almost 28C.

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One passenger, Alastair Owens, tweeted: 'London Emirates cable car has broken down and we're dangling mid-air over the docks - seem to be evacuating.

'Can see cable cars closest to ground have been evacuated, but we in mid-air are being told nothing. Come on Emirates.

'If we require any assistance we have to press the emergency button. Do you think they would bring me a coffee?'

Later he tweeted: 'Emirates cable car turned out to be great school holiday mini adventure - greeted with apologies and water as we landed.'

Tourists about to travel over the river described how families with young children and elderly people emerged from the cable car looking 'extremely hot and flustered'.

Faulty: The Emirates Cable Car broke down at around 11.45am, leaving visitors suspended in the air for over 30 minutes in 28C heat

Cassam Looch, 30, a freelance writer who was about to board the cable car just before it broke down, told MailOnline: 'A lot of people were stuck right in the middle high up over the river for well over half an hour.

'There were young children and elderly people coming off at our end afterwards looking very hot and flustered.

'The younger and older people looked like they had suffered more than anyone else up there, as there didn't seem to be water on board. There were ambulances and British Transport Police waiting at the other end to tend to those who had got stuck.'

Danny Price, Head of Emirates Air Line said: 'The Emirates Air Line is now back up and running after experiencing a technical fault at 11:45am.

'All passengers were safely back in the terminal by 12:18pm and water and first aid were made available to them. We would like to apologise to anyone affected.'